from the movie The Shootist, which had two of my favorite movie lines. The first,
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
The second, Waynes' character, J.B. Books, has just done some shooting with another character and when the younger man says his group is just about as good replies
"It's not always being fast or even accurate that counts. It's being willing. I found out early that most men, regardless of cause or need, aren't willing. They blink an eye or draw a breath before they pull the trigger...And I won't."
And that comes to one of my personal nightmares: that a 'everything's gone to shit' situation will happen and I'll hesitate that moment too long.
Bad-tasting food for thought. Some situations would be open and clear, it's the others where, to borrow a line, you're trying to do simple things in the most complicated of circumstances and have to do it right that bring this out. And it might not be your life on the line, might be a family member or friend, or a total stranger. Remember last year, the story of the man who started stabbing his wife in a store? Guy with a carry permit did what was required, drew, aimed and fired and stopped the attack; you can't call it self-defense, but no question defense of the life of another.
So we practice, and think, and work through scenes to be ready; ready to shoot or not shoot as called for.
3 comments:
Just coming accross an armed citizen storey here in ireland from about 10 years ago. I need to find media reports from the time.
Turns out a neighbour's daughter had been abducted, and was tied up in the boot (?trunk) of a car. Her abducter had taken her to a secluded spot to get her out, for whatever evil intent, except two young guys were out lamping (the tale goes that the shouldn't have been there) and had done their duty rescuing the girl, the abducter was picked up later by the cops. According to the version I heard, he had digging tools in the car. There have been about half a dozen girls disappear in south Kildare and Wicklow, he is chief suspect but hasn't confessed while inside. I'll send you links when I find them.
Gotcha!
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/state-to-free-rapist-who-is-huge-threat-to-women-1484538.html
"So we practice, and think, and work through scenes to be ready; ready to shoot or not shoot as called for."
And that's the best we can do for now, is to run through mental scenerios. There's no way anyone could do this FOR REAL.
1) There are just too many different scenerios, and permutations thereof.
2) The legal liabilities? (shooting real people, "just because I need to practice?)
B Woodman
III-per
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